


Cat's Outa the Bag

by 852_Prospect_Archivist



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: M/F - Category, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-11 02:17:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/792912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/852_Prospect_Archivist/pseuds/852_Prospect_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Surprises are in store for everyone at this years police banquet...<br/>This story is a sequel to Poker Night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cat's Outa the Bag

**Author's Note:**

> The idea for this came out a conversation I had with Lily about the guys in tuxs... Thanks to Bast and Virginia for the reads. There might have been a few changes after they made their edits so if there are any mistakes blame me, not them, they are goddess' in my eyes. J

## Cat's Outa the Bag

by Tiger Moon

Author's webpage: <http://members.aol.com/ATigerMoon/fic.html>

Author's disclaimer: Jim, Blair and the rest of the Sentinel Crew belong to Pet Fly and Paramount. I'm not going to make any money off this so don't bother suing me, all you'd get is a bunch of bills and my dogs and I'd fight you for the dogs (you can keep the bills )

* * *

Cat's outa the Bag  
Tiger Moon 

"Chief, you almost ready?" Jim questioned as he came down the stairs. This year he planned on being on time to the annual Policeman's Banquet. They had been late every year since Blair had teamed up with him. Most of their friends assumed they were too preoccupied in bed to be on time. The irony of the situation was that they hadn't become lovers until just a few months ago. 

Jim knew himself well enough to know that if he let himself think about Blair, the younger man could drive all thoughts of everything but sharing a bed, right out of his mind. He watched as Blair came out of his old room, where he'd insisted Blair get dressed so they might actually get out of the loft in time. He stopped halfway down the steps, "Whoa..." he said under his breath. Blair looked... Jim had long since quit trying to come up with a word to describe his lover. Edible was what came to mind at this moment. 

Blair stood there in his black tux and white banded collar shirt with black onyx buttons. The vest the younger man wore was a reverse print match to the one he wore. However, where Jim's was black with a cobalt blue paisley pattern, Blair's was a cobalt blue with the black patterning. This was the first time Jim had seen his lover in the new vest and it struck him how perfectly the colour matched Blair's eyes. He didn't look any further down, he knew that if he looked at the tailored pants Blair wore with his tux that he'd be across the room and the said pants would be tossed across a chair... 

There was no way he could miss the feral gleam in Blair's eye's when the anthropologist looked up at him. "Sandburg, don't even think about it." Jim warned, wishing that this time he didn't have the strong desire to be on time, he'd like nothing more than to tumble Blair into bed and spend the rest of the night locked in the arms of his lover. Jim was really regretting saying no to Blair earlier. It was going to be a long night and one in which they would have to be discrete, they still hadn't told their friends about their relationship. 

"Blair, I'm warning you..." he said when he saw Blair's look of unadulterated lust. 

Blair just grinned, "Then come here and give me something to get me through the evening." His voice was sultry and breathy. 

Jim's resumed descent down the stairs faltered when he heard Blair's words. "Heh, heh, heh... you give me plenty to think about, Sandburg, which is why being half hard is a normal state for me these days." 

Blair looked up at Jim in surprise. His partner was a no nonsense kind of person and was seldom as blatant as he'd just been, outside of bed that is. In bed he could be as primal as he was gentle. Right now, however, it was he that was feeling primal and he pulled Jim into an embrace as soon as the bigger man cleared the bottom step and proceeded to ravage Jim's mouth. 

Jim groaned at Blair's aggressiveness and felt his control start to slip. He mustered the last bit of control and broke the kiss, pulling back. He kept Blair at arms reach, "No way. We promised Simon we'd be there tonight and if I take your clothes off you they won't be going back on anytime soon." His voice was ragged from the barely controlled passion. 

Blair hesitated then nodded, "We did promise, but lets go now or I won't be held responsible for what happens..." He turned and Jim, leaving one hand in place on Blair's back, guided him out of the loft. 

* * *

Simon looked at his watch, tapping it, as he watched his missing detective and observer walk through the door, then looked at his date, "I knew they'd be late." 

She smiled and looked at her own watch, "Not by much though. Only fifteen minutes." 

He looked at her then grasped her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it gently, "Have you ever known Jim Ellison to be fifteen minutes late?" 

She thought for a moment, "Before Blair, he used to be fifteen minutes early." 

"My point exactly." Simon grinned smugly as he pulled her closer to him, as they watched the other detectives from their darkened corner of the room. 

* * *

Jim and Blair walked in and headed straight to where the rest of the Major Crimes gang was standing in front of the punch bowl. His hand in it's usual position on the centre of Blair's back as he guided his partner through the crowded room. 

"You didn't spike it did you?" Jim asked with a smile. 

"Jim. Sandy. It's about time you got here." Megan teased. 

The others echoed her greeting with their own version of greetings. 

"So why are you so late?" Rafe questioned, with a smile. 

"Jim had trouble with his tie," Blair offered as an excuse. 

"Kind of hard getting that clip on just right huh, Ellison." Brown teased. 

"Not Jim, he's probably the only one beside Simon that ties a real tie." Megan half-defended him. 

"Hey! I'll have you know, I use real ties too." Rafe tried to sound indignant. 

"You would," Jim replied, then stroked the lapels of Rafe's tux. "Armani?" His own barb, delivered with a straight face and a touch of smugness. 

"He's the only one beside Mulder who still wears Armani." Blair teased the best dressed, besides Simon, detective. 

Rafe reached out to cuff Blair on the back of the head, but the anthropologist ducked behind Jim, leaving Rafe batting at empty air. The two men continued their horseplay dodging around Jim. 

Finally Jim separated them, leaving his arm around Blair's shoulders. Shaking his head, he chuckled, "You can dress them up but you can't take them out." 

Everyone with in hearing range of Jim laughed. Even most of the dates of the other detectives had been around long enough to know the teasing jab for what it was, especially since the team of Ellison and Sandburg rarely went anywhere that they didn't end up bickering like an old married couple. 

When the laughter died down Brown asked, "No date tonight Hairboy?" 

"No," Jim replied for him, "He's in mourning since I accidentally threw away his little black book." 

Blair reached over and playfully backhanded Jim. 

"Jealous he didn't have one as detailed, is more like it." Rafe landed his own jab to make up for the Armani comment Blair had made earlier. 

Jim looked around and asked, "Where's Simon?" hoping to take a little pressure off the fact that both he and Blair were dateless. 

Joel was closest and answered, "He's around somewhere." 

"He has a date." Brown supplied as he pulled his own date closer. 

"Anyone we know?" Blair asked, curious. 

Jim didn't miss the quick looks that passed between the rest of the Major Crimes detectives, not to mention he could hear the collective increase of their heart beats. "Who?" 

"I think Simon is over there," Joel pointed and then disappeared, making some excuse of having to find his wife. 

Jim looked to where Joel pointed but he could only see Simon. He couldn't see the mysterious date because of the column they were leaning against. 

* * *

Simon looked over and caught Jim's eye. He also noticed that the partners were alone and weaving their way toward him. "We're about to get busted." He informed his date. 

Releasing the hand that she held, she ran her fingers across his cheek, "Are you going to be okay with this?" 

"I guess," Simon chuckled as he kissed her fingers as they passed across his lips. "Ellison can't kill me in public." 

She shook her head and pulled him closer, allowing him to wrap her up in his embrace. 

He held her for a moment, then felt the pat on the back when he heard Jim call his name. 

"Simon!" 

"Hey Simon!" Blair echoed Jim's greeting. 

Simon turned and moved away from the column, keeping his date tucked firmly against him. "Jim, Blair, about time you got here." He greeted them, ignoring the surprised look on their faces. 

"Carolyn!" Jim sputtered. 

"Hi Jimmy," She smiled as she moved out of Simon's embrace to hug her ex-husband. "Blair." She greeted the Anthropologist over Jim's shoulder as they hugged. 

"Uh-hi," he managed to sputter in return. 

"Carolyn's your date?" Jim asked Simon. Even though they had been divorced for the better part of five years he still cared about her and didn't want to see her hurt. 

Simon bristled, "You have a problem with that?" 

Carolyn moved away from Jim and went back to Blair where they stood and watched. 

"Only if you hurt her, Sir," Jim gave Simon his best *you don't want to mess with me look* then softened, "She went through enough while she was married to me," he added quietly. 

Simon held Jim's stare for a moment before breaking the moment and nodding at Jim. The tension broke when Simon nodded, understanding that the detective cared for his ex-wife and didn't want to see her hurt. 

Jim turned to Carolyn, who was standing with Blair, and smiled, "Come here." 

He hugged her again, this time holding her for a moment. Before he released her he asked quietly, "Are you happy?" 

Carolyn smiled, "I'm as happy as you are," she answered. 

Jim smiled one of his rare 'light up the room' smiles. Carolyn was the only person he and Blair had told about their relationship. "That's what counts then." He held her close for a moment, then turn to Simon, "Here take your woman," he said playfully as he nudged Carolyn toward his boss. 

The rest of the evening was spent talking and laughing and dancing. Both Jim and Blair took their turns dancing with the female members of the force, Rhonda, Serena and Carolyn in particular. Blair even took a spin around the dance floor with Sam, since she'd semi-forgiven him for being such a shit, by her approximation, when they were dating. 

Since the banquet was at the track again, Steven came late and joined the major crimes group. He'd been introduced to Carolyn earlier in the evening and had instantly liked his ex-sister in law and had wished that things had been different and he'd gotten a chance to know her earlier. 

Steven approached Carolyn and Simon, hoping he wasn't interrupting when he over heard, "How much do you want to bet they out themselves tonight?" Simon asked. 

"That's not a bet, that's a forgone conclusion," Carolyn replied. "Just look at them." Carolyn was pointing to where Blair was talking to the mayor's wife, with Jim just behind him and definitely in Blair's personal space. 

"So bet on what time it'll happen," Steven interjected into their conversation. 

"Steven!" they both said, startled by his appearance. 

Simon appeared to ponder Steven's idea, "We could do that." He finally said. 

"Want in?" Carolyn asked her ex-brother-in-law. 

"You bet." Steven replied, now a conspirator, "I can't believe they have managed to keep it to themselves this long." 

"What they don't know is that there has been an office pool Major Crimes, as to when they would get together. Most of the division doesn't know they already are and have been for a while now." Simon explained. 

"Did Jim come out to you?" Steven asked. 

"No, I guessed about the two of them." 

"Jim told me a month or so ago when I was here for the forensic conference." Carolyn said. 

Simon turned and looked at his new lover, "He told you? Why didn't you tell me?" 

"Yes, he told me. He wanted me to know what was going on in his life. Jim wanted me to know first and he wanted to tell me before any of the rumours got back to me. Besides it wasn't my news to tell. Jim asked me to keep it quiet and I honoured his request." She explained. 

"That make sense." Simon replied. 

"Simon, may I borrow Carolyn for a dance or two?" Steven asked and at Simon's nod, whisked her out on to the dance floor. 

Jim watched his ex-wife and his brother dance a song or two before cutting in himself. 

"How are you doing Jim?" she asked as she leaned her head on his shoulder. 

"Good, probably better than I have been in a long time." He replied, his cheek against her hair. 

"He's good for you." 

"Yeah, he is." 

"Better then I was." 

Jim pushed her back slightly so he could look at her face, "Not better, just different.. I wasn't ready for what we had when we had it and both of us made a lot of mistakes. We should have tried to be friends first." 

Carolyn nodded and allowed herself to be pulled close to Jim again. 

Jim danced her back to Simon and kissed her cheek before heading to where Blair stood in a darkened corner looking out over the quiet track. He'd been aroused and half-hard all evening thanks to the discrete, yet lingering, touches he and Blair had been sharing all evening. Sneaking out and going home so he could have his wicked way with his lover was looking more and more appealing. Especially since they had been ready to forgo that banquet earlier that evening. 

He approached his Guide, "Blair." He called softly so he wouldn't startle the younger man. 

"Hey Jim," Blair said, not even turning away from the window, "It's beautiful out there isn't it?" 

He didn't even look away from Blair when he answered, "Yeah, it is." Without even thinking he stood behind Blair and wrapped his arms around his partner and dropped a kiss on the curly head. He been wanting to do that all evening, 

"Mmm..." Blair murmured, enjoying the feel of Jim against him. Suddenly Blair realised where they were and moved forward a bit, "Jim!" he said just a little too loudly. 

Jim paled when he realised what he'd done, but that was nothing to the embarrassment when several of the Major Crime detectives, along with his ex-wife and brother applauded. Jim had no way of knowing that his departure toward the quiet corner would be noticed or that he'd be followed. 

"It's about damn time." Simon said as he approached them. 

Carolyn looked at both Simon and Steven, "You both owe me $50.00." 

Jim and Blair both stood there, Jim's arms still wrapped around Blair, both men doing perfect imitations of guppies. 

**FINI**


End file.
